Collection of the Qur'an: A Critical and Historical Study of Al-Farahi’s View

When was the text of the Qur’an collected and given its final shape and who was responsible for this task? Hamid al-Din al-Farahi (1863-1930), a scholar, thinker and exegete of the Indian sub-continent has examined this issue in the light of some specific verses of the Qur’an, and, contrary to the stance of most Muslim scholars, has concluded that the Qur’an was collected and arranged in its current sequence in the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad. This thesis conducts a critical and historical study of al-Farahi's view and also critically evaluates the collection reports attributed to each of the first four caliphs of Islam.